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St Ninian's Cave

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St Ninian's Cave is in Galloway southwest Scotland, 31 miles southeast of Stranraer, 67 miles southwest of Dumfries, 2 and a half miles southwest of the Village of Whithorn. The postcode map link is for the car park at Kidsdale Farm.

The Cave was used in the The Wicker Man horror film with Britt Eckland, Christopher Lee, and Edward Woodward.

Map / DG8 8JU . Large Images

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Camping & Touring Parks in area

This is one of the top attractions on the Whithorn Peninsular (the Machars). The drive around the Peninsular is about 45 miles, a full day when visiting all the Attractions.

The image top is of the Car Park for the Walk to St Ninian's Cave. The Cave is around 1 mile from here, down a well marked woodland Path to the Beach.

The Path leads to Port Castle Bay, with the Beach being deep shingle, not the easiest of walking.

Half way along the Beach are some rocks, normally with Stones Stacked on top of them.

St Ninian's Cave is at the far end of the Beach. You will notice many pieces of wood tied together to form Crosses, and Stones with Messages inscribed on them, indicating there must be large numbers of Visitors.

The Cave does not go far into the rocks. There is an Information Board in the Cave giving information on its use and the Ancient Carved Stones found in the Cave.

The Information Board reads:
St Ninian is the first Christian missionary to Scotland whose name is Known. He built a Church at Whithorn, was Bishop there, and died in 431.

Reputedly used as a place for personal prayer by Ninian, this Cave has attracted Pilgrims for centuries. Many came here to give thanks for a safe journey, usually by sea, before visiting St Ninian's Shrine at Whithorn. You can still see the Crosses they carved in the rock.

1880s - excavations of the Cave revealed eleven Carved Stones, as seen in the image right.

It is thought the Cave once had a wall across the front, and had been hidden from view for some time due to rock falls.

These Stones can now be viewed in the Whithorn Priory visitor centre.

The view from the Cave shows Burrowhead in the distance, with a ath leading south over the head to Burrowhead Holiday Village, and the Isle of Whithorn Village.

It is about a 2 mile Walk along the Cliff Tops to Burrowhead Holiday Village. Walk Information.

Burrowhead is where the Final Scene for The Wicker Man was shot with the Burning of the large Wicker Man.

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